[1] The bank began its operations in 1967, as a long-term financial services provider, with the financing geared towards national development projects.
For more than four decades, BRD has been the sole provider of long term finance and has significantly facilitated the emergence of different productive enterprises in the private sector.
The war paralyzed the rural areas and revitalization of the activities after 1994 concentrated in the capital city mainly in the secondary and tertiary sectors.
The priority areas for the loans were agro-industries mainly the sectors of tea and manufacturing, enabled by low cost financial resources available to small and medium scale enterprises in agribusiness; artisans and micro- projects 1968-1987: Establishment and development phase During the years 1968 to 1970, the Bank was being established and no projects were financed.
The two former companies were BRD wholly owned subsidiaries tasked with the mission of providing services and products that boost the development of SME’s in Rwanda.
The merger was decided by the BRD Board of Directors meeting held on 17 March 2011 with the aim of improving the efficiency of operations, the quality, the range of services and products to be provided by the new company, BDF Ltd. 26-APRIL-2011: Acquisition of BHR On the 26th April 2011, BRD officially acquired Banque de l’Habitat du Rwanda (BHR) in a ceremony hosted by Honorable Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. John RWANGOMBWA.